Tamping device



Nov. 5, 1963 J VAN RK 7 3,109,354

TAMPING DEVICE Filed Jan. 3, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l 65o. FIG. F /6. 2

INVENTOR.

JOHN T. VAN KIRK BY MAHONEY MILLER& RAMBO ATTYQ J. T. VAN KIRK TAMPING DEVICE Nov. 5, 1963 s sheets-sh et 2 Filed Jan- 5, 1961 INVENTOR. JOHN T. VAN KIRK FIG. 3

BY MAHONEY MILLEREkRAMBO ATTYS Nov. 5, 1963 Filed Jan. 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I2 7| 7 l I 7 51 7 65 6O 64 n INVENTOR.

- JOHN I. VAN KIRK \\\\\\\\\\\1 FIG 6 MAHONEY MILLER& RAMBO ATTYS United States Patent 3,109,354 TAMPiNG DEVICE John T. Van Kirk, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jay Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,475 4 Claims. (Cl. 94-49) My invention relates to a tamping device. It has to do, more particularly, with a tamping or compacting device of the self-contained type which can be handled by one man to tamp or compact, loose soil or other fill material, concrete, black top, or various other materials capable of being compacted.

Machines of this general nature usually include an engine and mount, a vertically reciprocable shoe-carrying unit, and means for connecting the engine to the shoecarrying unit to impart reciprocating strokes thereto. These machines also usually include opposed springs associated with the reciprocable shoe-carrying unit which cushion the shock developed during the tamping action and which tend to hold the shoe-carrying unit in a neutral position and return it to such position. Ordinarily, the entire shoe-carrying unit is slidably mounted on the engine mount for vertical reciprocating movement, usually by means of a sleeve guide structure or other enclosed guide structure. Such guide structures tend to wear quickly and because they are enclosed, are not readily accessible for lubrication or for service and replacement of parts.

The present invention overcomes the above disadvantages and provides a tamping device having a very effective tamping action, which is of a rugged nature, which can be handled readily by one man, and which can be serviced readily in the field with common hand tools.

The accompanying drawings show the preferred embodiment of my invention but it is to be understood that specific parts may be modified without departing from the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the tamping device.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the lower portion of the device showing the shoe-carrying rod in a different position as compared with FIGURE 1.

' FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the device.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, with parts broken away, taken along line 55 of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

With reference to the drawings, my tamping device is shown as comprising mainly an engine and engine mount unit 10, a vertically reciprocable shoe-carrying unit 11 which is movably connected to the unit by a guiding connection 12, and a driving connection 14 bet-ween the engine 13 and the unit 1 1.

The engine mount of the unit It) comprises a vertically disposed supporting bracket 15. The upper end of this bracket is flat and has the engine 13 supported thereon and rigidly secured thereto as by clamping units 16. A handle structure 17 of suitable configuration loops around the motor 13 and is attached to the bracket at opposite sides thereof by means of shock-absorbing or cushioning units which are in the form of rubber or similar cushioning bodies 18 that are clamped to the sides of the bracket 15 and are connected to the handles by the bolts 19. The handle, as shown in FIGURE 1 extends rearwardly and is turned upwardly and, as shown in FIGURE 4, at its rear end is preferably provided with hand grips 2t) and 21 disposed at right angles to each other. The rearward ex- "ice tension of the handle may carry the gas tank 22 which is connected to the internal combustion engine 13 by a flexible tube 23.

The engine 13 has a drive shaft which carries a multiple drive pulley 25 on its rear end which may have a starting rope-receiving drum associated therewith. This pulley drives, by means of a plurality of belts, a multiple driven pulley 26 which is keyed on the rear end of a driven crank shaft 27 that extends forwardly and rearwardly of the bracket 15 and is rotatably carried thereby by means of bearings 28 and 29. The forward end of the shaft 2'7 has a crank 30 keyed thereto and the outer end of this crank is pivoted at 31 to a yoke 32.. The lower end of the yoke 32 is pivoted at a pivot axis 33, at right angles to the axis of the pivot 31, to the upper end of a connecting rod 34. The lower end of this rod is pivoted by a pivot pin 35 to an inverted yoke 36 which is connected by a pin 37, at right angles to the pivot 35, to a bifurcated lug member 38 fixed to a part of the unit Ill. Thus, a driving connection of the crank type is provided between the engine 13 and the unit 11 and pivot connections are provided at each end of the connecting rod 34 which permit pivoting in two directions. A guard 39 is preferably attached to the bracket 15 at its forward side for covering the crank 36 and associated parts.

The structure of the unit 11 is illustrated best in FIG- URE 6. It comprises a vertically disposed guide member which is of a rugged nature and which has a guide opening 46 extending vertically completely therethrougli. At the upper end of the member 45 a supporting flange 47 is provided and around the member 45 reinforcing ribs 48 are provided. The lug member 38 of the connection to rod 34 is attached to the flange 47. Also supported by the flange is a cylindrical housing 49 in which are disposed cushioning members and which is closed at its up per end by a removable cap 50 and has a flange 51 at its lower end which is suitably secured to the flange 47 Extending through the opening 46 of the guide member 45 is a shoe-carrying rod 52. The upper end of this rod has a collar or piston 53 keyed thereon which slides vertically in the housing 49. Below this piston in the housing 49 is a heavy bumper sleeve 54 of rubber or similar material through which the rod 52 "slides and above this piston is a compression type coil spring 55. These opposed resilient members 54 and 55 engage the lower and upper sides, respectively, of the piston 53 and tend to keep it at an initial level in the housing 49 and, consequently, tend to keep the rod 52 in an initial vertical position relative to the guide 45 and to return it to such position. At the lower end of the guide opening 46 a sealing ring 56 is provided and along the guide 45 a lubricant fitting 57 is provided to supply lubricant into the opening 46.

The extreme lower end of the rod 52 carries the impactor or compactor shoe 60. This shoe is mainly of fiat form but has an upturned forward edge 61 so as to gradually compress the material under the shoe as the machine moves forwardly. The lower end of the rod 52 is tapered and fits into a complementally tapered socket 62'which is formed on an annular bracket 63 that is rigidly secured to the upper surface of the shoe 60. The lower extremity of the rod 52 receives a clamping nut unit 64 whichis accessible through a space 65 in the bracket 63. The shoe is removably attached to the bracket 63 by means of screws a. By means of this nut unit, the tapered end of the rod 52 and the socket 62 p are moved into tight interfitting relationship. To prevent rotation of the shoe 60 about the axis of the rod 52, an upstanding guide rod 66 is provided and has its lower end fastened in an upstanding socket 67 on the bracket 63. The upper end of this rod 66 slides in a vertically disposed bearing 68 which is provided at the lower end a of the guide member 45. Thus, the rod 66 has its axis parallel to the rod 52, will move vertically therewith and will preclude rotation of the rod 52 in the member 45. A flexible boot or sleeve 69 has its lower end clamped by a ring 743 to the bracket 63. This boot 69 extends upwardly over the member 45 at all'times and encloses the lower end of the rod 52 and most of the rod 66.

The guiding connection 12 is in the form of parallel linkage connected between the bracket 15 and the unit 11 for maintaining the axis of the shoe-carrying rod 52 and the unit 11 parallel with the vertical axis of the bracket 15 during the vertical movements of the unit 11 which occur during the tamping action. This parallel linkage comprises a pair of laterally spaced, lower links 71 and a pair of laterally spaced upper links 72 with the upper and lower links in corresponding vertical planes. The lower links are joined integrally by a transverse bar 73 (FIGURE and the upper links are similarly joined so that they form lower and upper H-frames. The inner ends of the links 71 are carried by a pivot rod 75 which is mounted in the bracket at its lower end. The upper links 72 are carried by a pivot pin 76 supported adjacent the upper end of the bracket 15. The outer ends of the links 71 are pivoted by pivot pins 77 to oppositely extending pivot ears 78 provided on the lower end of the housing 49. Similarly, the outer ends of the upper links 72 are pivoted at 79 to the upper end of the housing 49. Thus, it will be apparent that these links 71 and 72 permit vertical movement of the unit 11 but maintain it in parallel relationship to the vertical axis or vertical center line of the bracket 15. It will be apparent that the axis of the shaft 27, the axis of the pivot 37, the axis of the cylinder 49, and the center line of the H- frames midway of the links 71 and 72, are all in the same vertical plane. t will also be apparent that the pivot 33 and the pivot 35 permit swinging of the rod 34 in the direction of this plane upon relative vertical oscillation of the units 10 and 11.

FIGURES 1 and 6 show the machine in working condition with the piston 53 spaced above the upper end of the bumper 54. However, when the motor or engine is not running, the lower side of the piston 53 will be engaged by the upper end of the bumper sleeve 54. The length or height of the bumper sleeve 54 determines the initial compression on the spring 55. It will be noted (FIGURES l and 6) that when the shoe 60 is resting on a flat surface, the axis of the rod 52 and, in fact, the entire machine is tilted forwardly. This will aid in producing a forward hopping movement of the machine as it tamps. This is due to the fact that this tilting shifts the center of gravity forwardly of a vertical line perpendicular to the flat shoe at the point of connection of the rod 52 to the shoe. With the machine resting on the ground in this manner, when the motor is started, the crank drive 14 will move the unit 10 vertically relative to the unit 11 to produceaxial oscillations of the rod 52 relative to the guide member 45 and the housing 49 and, therefore, move the shoe 60 vertically oif the ground. This movement will be resisted by the opposed resilient members 54 and 55. A comparison of FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrates what occurs as the shoe 60 is moved downwardly by the drive 14. The pounding action on the ground will set up a reaction which will cause the unit 11 to move vertically oh the ground I at intervals. This vertical movement will be permitted by the connection 12 between the unit 11 and the unit 1% However, the unit 11 will always be disposed at the same angle relative to the bracket 15 of the unit 10 to maintain the predetermined angular relationship of the unit 11 relative to the ground. The operator can handle the machine with the handle 17 but merely needs to guide it along the desired path with the handle.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a simple, rugged tamping machine which can be easily handled by a single operator. With this machine the tamping action is very effective and the machine will move along by itself, the operator merely guiding it. The machine is of such a nature that most of the parts are exposed but those which are not exposed can be readily reached for lubrication. Servicing can be readily accomplished in the field with ordinary hand tools.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment; However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tamping device of the type which will move bodily vertically off the ground at intervals as a reaction to its tamping action which comprises a mass unit embodying an engine mount having an upper supporting portion and a depending bracket portion at the rear thereof and an engine carried by said supporting portion, a

tamping shoe carrying unit located ahead of said depending bracket portion, said shoe-carrying unit comprising a vertical guide structure having a shoe-carrying guiderod mounted therein for vertical reciprocation, said guide structure comprising a cylinder in which said guide rod reciprocates, a piston on said rod reciprocable in said cylinder, means for preventing rotation of said rod relative to said cylinder, resilient members on opposite sides of said piston in said cylinder for resisting movement of said piston in opposite directions from its initial position and for returning it to such position, said guide structure being connected to said depending bracket by parallel linkage comprising a plurality of H-frames pivotally connected at vertically spaced pivots to both said guide structure and said bracket portion so that the guide structure and the engine mount can oscillate relative to each other, each of said H-frames having one end straddling the cylinder and being pivoted thereto and its opposite end pivoted to said depending bracket, means for producing said relative oscillation upon operating of said engine, said means comprising a crank carried by a shaft supported by said engine mount and driven by the engine, said shaft having its axis in the vertical plane of the axis of the cylinder and extending in the general direction of said H-frames being also in the plane of the center line thereof, and a depending connecting rod connecting said crank to said guide structure, the lower end of said connecting rod being connected to said guide structure by a pivot pin having its axis in said vertical plane, said pivot including means for permitting limited swinging of said connecting rod in the direction of said pivot axis, the upper end of said connecting rod being connected to said crank by pivot means which permits said swinging of said connecting rod in said direction.

2. A tamping device of the type which will move bodily vertically oil the ground at intervals as a reaction to its tamping action which comprises a mass unit embodying an engine mount having an upper supporting portion and a depending bracket portion at the rear thereof and an engine carried by said supporting portion, a tamping shoe carrying unit located ahead of said depending bracket portion, said shoe-carrying unit comprising a vertical guide structure having a shoe-carrying guide rod mounted therein for vertical reciprocation, said guide structure comprising a cylinder in which said guide rod reciprocates, a piston on said rod reciprocable in said cylinder, means for preventing rotation of said rod relative to said cylinder, resilient members'on opposite sides of said piston in said cylinder, said guide structure being connected to said depending bracket by parallel linkage comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected at vertically spaced pivots to both said guide structure and said bracket portion so that the guide structure and the engine mount can oscillate relative to each other, means for producing said relative oscillation upon operating of said engine, said means comprising a crank carried by a shaft supported by said engine mount and driven by the engine, said shaft having its axis in the plane of the axis of the cylinder and extending in the general direction of said links, and a depending connecting rod between said crank and said guide structure, and pivot means connecting said rod to said guide structure for movement in the direction of said shaft and also in a direction at right angles thereto upon relative oscillation of said engine mount and the guide structure.

3. A tamping device according to claim 2 wherein said resilient members include a compression spring in said cylinder above the piston and a bumper of compressible resilient material below the piston.

4. A tamping device according to claim 2 in which 15 2,942,589

a shoe is carried by the lower end of the guide rod in angular relationship so that when the shoe rests on a flat surface the rod is tilted forwardly to aid in forward hopping movement of the device as a result of its vertical movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 681,715 Layne Sept. 3, 1901 1,329,796 Parker Feb. 3, 1920 1,693,221 Carlsson Nov. 27, 1928 2,054,851 Dornfeld Sept. 22, 1936 2,845,050 Wacker July 29, 1958 2,884,842 Schmitz May 5, 1959 Wacker June 28, 1960 

1. A TAMPING DEVICE OF THE TYPE WHICH WILL MOVE BODILY VERTICALLY OFF THE GROUND AT INTERVALS AS A REACTION TO ITS TAMPING ACTION WHICH COMPRISES A MASS UNIT EMBODYING AN ENGINE MOUNT HAVING AN UPPER SUPPORTING PORTION AND A DEPENDING BRACKET PORTION AT THE REAR THEREOF AND AN ENGINE CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTING PORTION, A TAMPING SHOE CARRYING UNIT LOCATED AHEAD OF SAID DEPENDING BRACKET PORTION, SAID SHOE-CARRYING UNIT COMPRISING A VERTICAL GUIDE STRUCTURE HAVING A SHOE-CARRYING GUIDE ROD MOUNTED THEREIN FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION, SAID GUIDE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A CYLINDER IN WHICH SAID GUIDE ROD RECIPROCATES, A PISTON ON SAID ROD RECIPROCABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID ROD RELATIVE TO SAID CYLINDER, RESILIENT MEMBERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PISTON IN SAID CYLINDER FOR RESISTING MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM ITS INITIAL POSITION AND FOR RETURNING IT TO SUCH POSITION, SAID GUIDE STRUCTURE BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DEPENDING BRACKET BY PARALLEL LINKAGE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF H-FRAMES PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT VERTICALLY SPACED PIVOTS TO BOTH SAID GUIDE STRUCTURE AND SAID BRACKET PORTION SO THAT THE GUIDE STRUCTURE AND THE ENGINE MOUNT CAN OSCILLATE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, EACH OF SAID H-FRAMES HAVING ONE END STRADDLING THE CYLINDER AND BEING PIVOTED THERETO AND ITS OPPOSITE END PIVOTED TO SAID DEPENDING BRACKET, MEANS FOR PRODUCING SAID RELATIVE OSCILLATION UPON OPERATING OF SAID ENGINE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CRANK CARRIED BY A SHAFT SUPPORTED BY SAID ENGINE MOUNT AND DRIVEN BY THE ENGINE, SAID SHAFT HAVING ITS AXIS IN THE VERTICAL PLANE OF THE AXIS OF THE CYLINDER AND EXTENDING IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF SAID H-FRAMES BEING ALSO IN THE PLANE OF THE CENTER LINE THEREOF, AND A DEPENDING CONNECTING ROD CONNECTING SAID CRANK TO SAID GUIDE STRUCTURE, THE LOWER END OF SAID CONNECTING ROD BEING CONNECTED TO SAID GUIDE STRUCTURE BY A PIVOT PIN HAVING ITS AXIS IN SAID VERTICAL PLANE, SAID PIVOT INCLUDING MEANS FOR PERMITTING LIMITED SWINGING OF SAID CONNECTING ROD IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PIVOT AXIS, THE UPPER END OF SAID CONNECTING ROD BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CRANK BY PIVOT MEANS WHICH PERMITS SAID SWINGING OF SAID CONNECTING ROD IN SAID DIRECTION. 